Automatic slicing machines



March 3l, 1959 F. BONNET AUTOMATIC sLIcING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 4, 1955 INVENTOR. www

Arrone/rey March 31, 1959 F, BQNNET 2,879,817

AUTOMATIC SLICING MACHINES Filed Aug. 4, 1955 v v s sheets-sheet '2INVENTOR. AAM

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F. BONNET AUTOMATIC SLICING MACHINES Marchal, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Aug. 4, 1955l lllrlllllllllllllll E INVENTOR.

United y Sgt-Yates Patent AUTMATIC SLICINGMACHINES p lllrafnos Bonnet,Villefranche-susanne, France Application August 4, 1955, Serial No.526,486 Claims priority, application France August 24, v1954 l 7 Claims.(ci. 14e-1oz) `My invention relates to slicing machines of the kindcomprising a reciprocatable carriage and a revolving knife disc. Thecarriage generally supports the meat or other article to be sliced whilethe' revolving knife disc is supported by the iiXed frame, but in someconstructions the arrangement is reversed. In automatic machines thereis provided an electric motor which actuates the carriage andtherevolving'knife disc, and this motor is automatically stopped at the endof each operative cycle of the carriage, but the automatic stop `devicemay be rendered ineffective when continuous operation 'is` desired, forinstance vfor cutting a` number of vsuccessive slices. When the requirednumber is obtained the operator re-sets the automatic lstop device. i

,Thismanual `actuation of the automatic Vstop device requires care fromthe operator and itl frequentlyoccurs that-y this device isactuatedsomewhat too late and that therefore the machine effects `anadditional operative cycle. l

=A first/object of, my invention is to provide an automatic slicingmachine whichwill cut any number of slices desired and which willautomatically stop as soon as thisnumber is reached.

Another` object-of. my invention is to provide such an automatic slicingmachinewhich may be set for continuous operationwheneverfdesired vStilli a further object of my invention is. a slicing machinecornprisinga counting memberadapted to` be manually advanced by theoperator through a numberof units equal to the Vnumber ofslices desired,the saidcounting member causing .the machine to start at the end 'of itsadvance movement, whereuponthe counting memberis returnedbackwarduthrough one unit at each return stroke of the carriage. andcauses stoppage of the machine as soon as it reaches the zero position..f

The counting member preferably comprises` a perforate dial wheel` ofthekind used inzconnection with telephone apparatus, and this dialwheelcooperates with a movable abutment adapted to controloperation of themachine, in such amanner thatwhen the4 operator advances the dial wheelhis finger engaged y-in 'a hole thereof actuates'the said abutment andstarts the machine, while at. the endv ofthe return movement of the dialwheel a gudgeon or the like carried by thelatter returns thexabutment toits position of rest, thereby vstopping the machine.

The movable abutment may directly actuate -an electric switch `in thecircuit of the driving motor, or it mayl The counting member ispreferably driven by a pawl"` andratchet mechanism, the 4ratchet wheelbeing mechanically connected. withthe-aforesaid dial .wheel and the pawlbeing carried bythe carriageof the machine.` Meanslarprovi'de'dtodisengage the pawl from the wheel as soon as it hasactuated the latter, in orderthatadvancej of the dial wheel should notbe prevented by-the saidl pawl being engaged with the teeth of theratchetlwheel;

In the annexed drawings: f

Fig. 12is a fragmental longitudinal sectionl ofta .tirstf embodiment ofa slicing machine according to my inven-` Fig. 2 is a horizontalsectionthereof taken along line- II-II of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken along'lint III-III of Fig.2. In this figure line I--I indicatesftheplane of section correspondingto Fig. 1. s Af f Fig. 4 is a large scale view with parts in section,show@ ing a portion of the dial wheel and of the associated parts, atthe position of rest of the machine.v v

Fig.5 `is a vewsimilar to Fig. 4, but showing the parts at thepositioncorresponding to operation of the machine. t f

Fig. 6` is an enlarged view of the pawl adapted to actuatethe ratchetwheel of the counter.

Figs. 7 to 9 are diagrammatical views illustrating theoperation of themachine.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the parts at theposition of continuous operation of the.

machine.

Fig. l1 is a horizontal section of another embodimentof my invention. vY v Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section thereof taken along'l line XII-XIIof Fig. 11.

Fig.- 13 is a transverse `section taken along line XIII of Fig. 1l.

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatical perspective view ofthegearing which controls-the clutch interposed between th electric motor and the carriagedriving gear.

' Figs.15 tof18 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the switchassociated to the clutch gearing of Fig;v '14.' Figs. v19 and 20 areenlarged detail views illustratingthe ratchet wheel and associated partsin the construction of Figs.. l1 and 12.

vThe machine partially illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 isofl thetyp'ecomprising a revolving knife disc 201 (Fig-13) and areciprocatingcarriage 2 supporting the meatVor otherfood article fromwhich the lslices are to be cu't.' This type of machine being wellknownin the art neither ing-of base 1, its inner end being in one with amovable` transverse member 3 slidable on two longitudinal guide rods 4liXed to base 1. Member 3 carries the vertical pivot 5 of a connectingrod 6 the other end vof which is pivoted at 7 on one of the linksof anendless chain8 supported by two sprockets 9 and 10 loose on xed verticalgudgeons 11 and 12. Sprocket 10 is in one with a gear wheel 13 whichmeshes with another gear wheel 14 keyed on the shaft 15 of a pulley 16connected by means of a belt 17 with another pulley 18 loose'- on avertical driving shaft 19 rotated by an appropriate electric motor, notillustrated, which also drives the revolving knife disc not shown. Aclutch member 20 is slidably keyed on shaft 19, the said member beingformed with lateral teeth adapted to engage corresponding teeth providedon the upper end of the hub of pulley 18.

ating knob 23. It will be appreciated that when member 20 is at itslower oroperative position, sprocket 10 is rotated and transverse member3 is reciprocated along. rods 4* togethe11with arm 2 and with thecarriage supportedn thereby. The normal position of stoppage is thePatented Mar. 31, 195g' XIIIT- position illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, thecarriage being at the end of its rearward stroke with respect to therevolving knife disc.

On the side of member 3, supposed at the position of rest illustrated,and well below the said member, there is disposed a casing 24 whichrotatably supports a horizontal transverse shaft 25 carrying a ratchetwheel 26 at its outer end adjacent to member 3. Wheel 26 has twelveteeth plus a blank space having the length of one tooth. In other wordswheel 26 may be considered as a thirteen tooth wheel wherein one toothhas been suppressed. Shaft 25 is connected by a pair of equal bevelgears 27 with a small longitudinal shaft 28 which protrudes from casing24 towards the adjacent end side of base 1. Shaft 28 is in turnconnected by a universal joint 29 with an oblique shaft 30 which ispassed through the wall of base 1, and on the outer end of this shaftthere is keyed a wheel or disc 31 having a row of thirteen holesdisposed along its periphery as the dial wheel of an automatic telephoneapparatus. The outer surface of base 1 under wheel 31 is formed as alixed dial and bears twelve successive numbers followed by letter C, asshown in Figs. 4, Sand 10. Shaft 28 is rotatable in a tubular shaft 32which is itself supported by a bearing 1a fixed to base 1. The outer endof shaft 32 is in one with a liat arm 33 which is bent twice at 90 toform in front of wheel 31 an abutment 33a (Figs. l and 4) having alateral semicircular notch 33b. The inner end of shaft 32 carries a cam34 adapted to actuate a pusher switch 35 inserted on the circuit of thedriving motor of the machine. The arrangement is such that this circuitis closed when switch 35 is pushed (position of Fig. and that it is openwhen switch 35 is free (position of Fig. 4). Wheel 31 carries a smallpin 36 (Figs. 4, 5 and 10) which may act on the extension 33a of arm 33for actuating the said arm at the end of the return movement of wheel41, as explained below.

The movable transverse member 3 has a lateral downwardly directed arm 37which carries a pawl 38 adapted to cooperate with ratchet wheel 26. Asshown in Fig. 6 pawl 38 is in the form of a small two-armed leverpivoted at 39 and carrying at one of its ends a horizontal lateraliinger 40 adapted to engage the successive teeth of wheel` 26. The otherend of pawl 38 is loaded by a spring indicated at 41 in Fig. 6 and italso carries a horizontal lateral linger 42 (Figs. 2 and 3) adapted tocooperate with a gudgeon 43 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) provided on the upperside of casing 24. An abutment 33 is provided on the side of -arm 37 tolimit the angular movement of pawl 38 under the action of spring 41.

The operation is as follows:

At the position of rest transverse member 3 is stopped at the left endof the machine in Figs. l and 2. Cam 34 (Fig. 4) is spaced from thepusher 35a of switch 35 and the driving motor is therefore atstandstill. Pin 36 is in contact with the right-hand edge of extension33a and one of the holes of wheel 31 is exactly co-axial to the notch33b provided on the left edge of extension 33a. Behind this hole thefixed dial bears the number 1 and numbers 2 to 12 are behind thesuccessive holes in an anticlockwise direction, the thirteenth holecorresponding to letter C (for continuous operation).

Supposing it is desired to cut live slices, the operator engages hisforeinger in the hole situated in front of number 5 on the iixed dialand he rotates the dial wheel 31 clockwise until his forefnger has metextension 33a and has moved arm 33. This angular displacement of arm 33causes cam 34 to push pusher 35a and to actuate switch 35 whereby theelectric driving motor is started. At the same time pusher 35a limitsthe angular movement of arm 33 and stops the rotation of dial wheel 31.The operator then removes his linger from the latter.

The machine being now in operation, the carriage is reciprocated and ateach forward stroke thereof a slice is cut from the meat or otherarticle supported by the said carriage. At each return stroke of thecarriage the lower linger 40 of pawl 38 meets a tooth of wheel 26 (Fig.7) and rotates the said wheel anticlockwise. Then the upper finger 42meets gudgeon 43 (Fig. 8) which causes pawl 38 to rotate about its pivot39 against the action of spring 41 and to become disengaged from wheel26 (position of Fig. 9). The carriage is just at the end of its rearwardor return stroke when this disengagement is effected and the arrangementis such that the angular movement of wheel 26 under the action of pawl38 corresponds to one tooth of the said wheel.

The ratchet wheel 26, which had been advanced through ve teeth duringrotation of the dial wheel 31 by the operator, is thus returned step bystep to its initial or zero position and of course dial wheel 31 itselfis also returned to the position of Fig. 4. When the ifth slice has beencut (position of Fig. 5) pin 36 is close to the right edge of extension33a and at the end of the return stroke of the carriage the said pinreturns extension 33a together with arm 33 to the initial position ofFig. 4, whereby switch 35 opens and causes the electric motor to stop.

Of course proper operation requires that arm 33 should not be returnedfrom the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. `4 by the solereaction of pusher member 35a. This may be obtained by a number ofmeans.

Proper operation also requires that advance of the dial wheel should notbe prevented by pawl 38 being in engagement with ratchet wheel 26. Thisis obtained by *gudgeon 43 which disengages pawl 38 at the end of thereturn stroke of the carriage (position of Fig. 9).

, Still another condition for proper operation of the device describedis that the lower finger 40 of pawl 38 should not meet the mutilatedportion 26a of ratchet wheel 26, i.e. the zone corresponding to thesuppressed thirteenth tooth of this wheel. This is obtained by so timingratchet wheel 26 with respect to dial wheel 31 that the said zone 26a isexactly in front of the last tooth actuated by finger 40 during thereturn or zeroizing movement of the counter device, i.e. the tooth whichdetermines stoppage of the machine. l

When the operator engages his forelinger into the thirteenth hole ofdial wheel 31 (i.e. into the hole which at the position of rest of Fig.4 is in front of letter C on the xed dial of the machine) he rotateswheel 31 through a full turn, the gudgeon 36 of the said wheel coming onthe left side of extension 33a, as it will be appreciated by comparingFigs. 4 and l0. The angular displacement of arm 33 under the action ofthe operators linger causes actuation of switch 35 whereby the machineis starated. But since ratchet wheel 26 has effected a full turntogether with dial wheel 31, it is now at the position of Fig. 1 andtherefore the lower linger 40 of pawl 38 only meets the mutilatedportion 26a of the said ratchet wheel 26 and leaves the latter atstandstill. The machine thus operates continuously.

When the operator desires to stop the machine, he only has to re-engagehis foreiinger into the hole corresponding to letter C on the fixed dial(Fig. 10) and to turn the dial wheel anticlockwise through one fullturn. Gudgeon 36 returns arm 33 to the position of Fig. 4 whereby switch35 opens.

In the modification of Figs. l1, 12 and 13 the counter comprises agraduated knob 45 adapted to play the same role as the dial wheel 31 ofFigs. l to 3. Knob 45 is carried by a longitudinal shaft 46 whichprojects into the above-described casing 24 and which is connected bythe bevel gears 27 with the transverse shaft 25 of the ratchet wheel 26.The general arrangement of the carriage and of its driving gearing isquite the same as in Figs. 1 to 3, but the control mechanism of theclutch is quite dilerent.

The actuating fork 21 of the movable clutch member 20 is in one with anarm 47 (Figs. l2 and 14) connected by a link 48 with an arm 49 keyed ona transverse shaft 50 rotatably carried by bearings such as 51 securedto base 1. On the end of shaft 50 opposed to arm 49 there is slidablykeyed a sleeve 52 on the periphery of which? asva'srfi thenais providedia longitudinally elagated 199th .5.24 which is bevelled, as indicatedat 52b, at itsendreniote from the adjacent end of shaft 50. Tooth 52 isadapted for cooperation with a small lever 53a associated lwith amicro-switch 53 inserted on the electric circuit of the driving motor ofthe machine. Sleeve 52 extends beyond the end of shaft 50 in the form ofa forkedfmember 54 substantially disposed in the vertical plane of shaft50. Member 54 embraces a cam 55 carried by a longitudinal shaft 56.Shaft 56l also carries a second cam 57v which cooperates with a laterallug 54a in onewith forked member 54. -Lug 54a is provided with anvupperxtoot-h 54b adapted to be actuated by the carriage driving chain8, as it will be explained below. Shaft -56 is rotatably carried bybase1 and its outer end has an actuating lknob 58 (Figs. 1 1vand 12). Y i Y'For a given angular position of knob 58 cam 57 leaves lug 54a free tosink under the action of the driving chain, which causes`cle-clutchingof clutch member`20 and stoppage of the carriage. Cam 57is then at such a position that Sleeve 5.2,A istat :its .foremostnesitieafgashatt 50, the end roller of lever 53a then being on thebevelled end 52b of tooth 52a; Switch 53 is thus open and the drivingmotor is at standstill. This relative position of tooth 52a andYofswitch 53 has been illustrated in Fig. 15.,v k

. `'Ifn'owknob w58 is rotated through1 90 in a clockwise direction'fromthe position of Fig.1 15`,1scam 55- moves sleeve 52 on shaft 50 throughabout one'half of its full permissible stroke thereon, while cam 57leaves lug 54a at the lowered position. Owing to the axial displacementof sleeve 52 the bevelled end 52b of tooth 52a actuates switch 53(position of Fig. 16) and the electric motor is started. But since fork21 remains at the de-clutched position, the carriage of the machineremains at rest and the knife disc revolves ineffectively.

d For a further rotation of knob 58 through 90 cam 57 raises lug 54a,thus causing rotation of shaft 50 whereby fork 21 is lowered and engagesclutch member 20 with pulley 18. Cam 55 pushes sleeve 52 somewhatfurther towards the rear of the machine (position of Fig. 17), switch 53remaining at the closed position. The carriage is thus reciprocated andnormal operation of the machine takes place.

When knob 58 is rotated through a third angle of 90, cam 55 returnssleeve 52 to its foremost position, and cam 57 leaves lug 54a free tosink. But the arrangement is such that shaft 50 is frictionally retainedin position whereby lug 54a is prevented to rotate under action of itsown weight. The parts thus assume the position illustrated in Fig. 18.The end roller of the actuating lever 53a of switch 53 is on thebevelled end 52b of tooth 52a, but switch 53 nevertheless remains at theclosed position. Operation of the machine thus continues as if knob 58had not been actuated.

But at this position of the parts tooth 54h is now on the path of agudgeon 59 (Fig. 13) carried by one of the links of chain 8. Whengudgeon 59 meets tooth 54a it positively rotates lug 54 together withshaft 50. This rotation of shaft 50 causes an upward movement of clutchmember 20, whereby the carriage driving gearing is de-clutched from theelectric motor. Tooth 52a is besides returned to the position of Fig. 15whereby switch 53 opens and stops the electric motor. Gudgeon 59 is sodisposed on chain 8 that the carriage stops at its rearmost position(corresponding to Figs. 11 and 12) and this position of stoppage of thecarriage cannot be inuenced by the momentum of the drivingmotor which isnow disconnected from the carriage driving mechanism. This may be ofinterest with high speed motors.

summarizing it may be said that the first quarter of a turn of knob 58starts the electric motor without starting the carriage, that the secondquarter of a turn starts the carriage and that the third quarter of aturn causes automatic stoppage of the machine by action of gudgeon 59 ontooth 54b. The fourth quarter of a turn is ineffective.

On the longitudinal shaft 56Hof knob S8 (Figs. 19 and 20) there is keyeda small pinion 60 which meshes with a conical sector 61 loose on theouter end of shaft 25 in front of ratchet wheel 26. Sector 61 carries onits rear face a radially elongatedrib 61a adapted to be actuated by alateral gudgeon 62 fixed to wheel 26. The arrangement is such that whenthe ratchet wheel 26 comes to its position of rest or zero positionunder the action of the lower finger 40 of pawl 38 in the manner alreadyexplained with reference 'to the construction of Figs. 1 to 3, gudgeon62 strikes rib 61a and rotates sector 61which in turn rotates shaft 56to return the above-described device to the position'of Fig. 18, ire. tosuch a position that the machine'is immediately stopped by gudgeon 59actuating tooth 54b.

When it is desired to cut a given number of slices, the operator firstsets knob 45 to the corresponding position. Then he starts the machineby placing knob 58 to the position of Fig'. 17. The ratchet wheel 26 isactuated at each return stroke of they carriage and when the said wheelreaches its zero position it drives sector 61 which through pinion 60brings the parts to the position of Fig. 18. The machine is immediatelystopped.

In other words gudgeon 62 of wheel 26 automatically effects the thirdquarter of a turn of `knob 58 as aboveexplained.

It Will be appreciated vthat in the machine of Figs. ll to 13 knob 45'could be replaced by a perforated dial wheel as in the case of Figs. 1to 3, arm 33 actuating shaft 56 through an appropriate gearing.

I claim:

1. An automatic slicing machine comprising a frame; a revolving knifesupported on said frame; Ia reciprocating carriage on said frametransversely of the axis of said revolving knife to cause the latter toslice meat or the like product supported Iby the carriage at eachforward stroke of said carriage; driving means to reciprocate saidcarriage on said frame; a counting ratchet wheel rotatably supported bysaid frame and actuated by said carriage, and adapted to be angularlyadvanced by the operator from its zero position through a number ofteeth equal to the number of slices desired, said ratchet wheel havingon its periphery a blank zone void of any tooth; a pawl supported bysaid carriage and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel at each returnstroke of said carriage to return said ratchet wheel through one toothtowards its zero position, except when said ratchet wheel has been soadvanced that said pawl meets said blank zone; means carried by theframe and actuated by said ratchet wheel when same reaches its zeroposition to cause stoppage of said driving means; and means on the pawlto disengage said pawl from said ratchet wheel at the stopped positionof said carriage to permit advance of said ratchet wheel.

2. An automatic slicing machine comprising a frame; a revolving knifesupported on said frame; a reciprocating carriage on said frametransversely of the axis of said revolving knife to cause the latter toslice meat or the like product supported by the carriage at each forwardstroke of said carriage; driving means to reciprocate said carriage onsaid frame; a perforated dial wheel rotatably supported by said frameand actuated by said carriage, and adapted to be advanced by theoperators finger from its zero position through a number of units equalto the number of slices desired; a movable abutment associated with saiddial wheel to be displaced from its position of rest by the operatorsfinger at the end of the advance of said dial wheel; means actuated bysaid movable abutment when same has been displaced 4by the operator tostart said driving means; a counter wheel adapted to rotate in unisonwith said dial wheel, one unit of said counter wheel corresponding toone unit of said dial wheel; means to mechanically connect said dialwheel with said counter wheel; means actuated by said carra'ge at theend of each return stroke thereof to return said counter wheel throughone unit towards its zero position; and means on said dial wheel toreturn said movable abutment to its position of rest at the last returnstep of said counter wheel to cause stoppage of said driving means.

3. In an automatic slicing machine as claimed in claim 2, said movableabutment being carried by an arm coaxial with said dial wheel.

4. In an automatic slicing machine as claimed in claim 2, said movableabutment being carried by an arm supported by a tubular shaft co-axialwith said dial wheel, and said tubular shaft carrying a cam memberadapted to control said driving means.

5. In an automatic slicing machine as claimed in claim 2, said movableabutment being carried `by an arm coaxial with said dial wheel, and saiddial wheel having a pin adapted to return said movable abutment to itsposition of rest.

6. An automatic slicing machine comprising a frame; a revolving knifesupported on said frame; a reciprocating carriage on said frametransversely of the axis of said revolving knife to cause the latter toslice meat or the like product supported by the carriage at each forwardstroke of said carriage; driving means to reciprocate said carriage onsaid frame, said driving means embodying a chain running between twosprockets and a connecting rod between Said carriage and one of thelinks of said chain, vand said chain having a lateral projection;abutment means displaceable on said frame transversely of said chain andadapted to be moved into the path of said projection to cause stoppageof said driving means; a counter member supported by the frame andactuated by the carriage and adapted to be advanced by the operator fromits zero position through a number of units equal to the number ofslices desired; means supported by the frame to be actuated by saidcarriage at the end of each return stroke thereof to return said countermember through one unit towards its zero position; and means supportedby the frame to be actuated by said counter member when same reaches itszero position to bring said abutment means into the path of saidprojection to cause stoppage of said driving means.

7. In an automatic slicing machine as claimed in claim 6, said drivingmeans embodying an electric motor and a clutch interposed between saidmotor and one of the sprockets of said chain, and said abutment meansbeing so arranged as to declutch said clutch and at the same time toopen the electric circuit of said motor.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,630,099 Van Berkel May 24, 1927 1,666,335 Lentz Apr. 17, 19282,165,047 Gualdoni July 4, 1939 2,414,152 Jackson Jan. 14, 1947

